


Fugitive

by Madashatters



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Developing Friendships, Developing Relationship, Fluff, Gender-Neutral Pronouns, Magic mishap, Other, Post-Avengers (2012), Roommates
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-05
Updated: 2018-12-05
Packaged: 2019-09-07 15:51:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,974
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16856914
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Madashatters/pseuds/Madashatters
Summary: After the Battle of New York, Loki escapes from capture. A couple weeks later you find a black kitten with piercing green eyes. But there’s no relation, right?





	1. Chapter 1

The day that aliens invaded New York was probably the weirdest, craziest, worst day of your life. When it all ended, when the Avengers had done their job and Iron Man had fallen from the sky, when the portal closed and Loki was captured, it felt as if you woke up from a dream. Or a nightmare, you still weren’t sure. So you left the shelter you had found when the battle started and made your way home, ignoring the tight feeling in your chest as you walked past dead alien bodies and fallen buildings. You were grateful to the Avengers, of course you were, but it was harrowing to see the damage they could cause. You passed by a shop window that, surprisingly, still had working tvs. You didn’t pay any mind, sure that it was simply praising the Avengers and their willingness to sacrifice for simple people like you. However, when the tv started flashing, you started to pay attention. It was a PSA to not be worried, to remain calm, and that he was no longer a danger. Loki had escaped capture and no one knew where he was.

* * *

Somehow, the most wanted criminal in all the world was still missing weeks after the initial announcement. How it had even happened was a mystery to you, whether he had just outsmarted the new hero group or if Thor believed in his brother too much, no one was sure and the Avengers initiative wasn’t giving any answers until he was caught. Either way, he was still missing and sadly, still on Earth. No one was worried about it, as if he hadn’t almost ended the world as they knew it. It was almost like everyone had decided to forget about the event and had forgotten to give you the memo. You still remembered and you were still afraid but fear wasn’t a good excuse for stopping your life, so you continued. Maybe that was how everyone forgot, they pretended like they had no fear.

However, it was pretty hard for you to forget, especially since you had lost your car due to several alien bodies using it as a landing target. With your car in the shop, you had to walk everywhere you went while you waited for the mechanics to let you know you were wasting all of your money. Your walks home from work were always the worst, the dark manifesting different evils in your mind that made your steps that much faster. An evil sorcerer on the loose reminded you of what was possible in the world, magical or not, it wasn’t fun. You were finally at your house when you heard rustling in your trash, which wasn’t rare. You were in New York after all, New York rats could be their own species with how big they could be. You ignored it and went to your door, ready to finally eat and catch up on the show you had been watching, only to stop after hearing a broken  _meow_  come from your garbage.

You sighed, hoping that you’re mind wasn’t playing tricks on you and that you weren’t about to get attacked by a huge ass rat, and made your way to the garbage cans. You peeked over the edge and stopped the gag that threatened to come at smelling the two day old trash. You carefully lifted the bag on top by a corner, trying to keep your distance while still seeing into the trash, “You better be a cat because if I am doing this  _just_  to be attacked by a rat, I swear to-” You stopped your ranting when you saw the biggest green eyes staring back at you. You exhaled , “Your cuteness might just be worth my eyebrows burning off.” The kitten stretched up, it’s paws hanging on to the edge as it looked up at you. You carefully picked it up, coughing when you stepped away from the trash. “Agh, yea no. You need a bath.” The cat meowed and snuggled closer into your arms. Having to burn your clothes suddenly seemed worth it. 

* * *

\----

The bath was a lot easier than you ever expected it to be, the kitten actually purred as you lathered it with water and your shampoo. “You’re one weird kitty aren’t you?” You grabbed a cup and gently washed away the bubbles, careful not to get any in it’s eyes. You stepped back slightly and tilted your head looking at the little furball, “Maybe I did bring in a rat, look at you!” You cooed. You were surprised to see a look of annoyance in it’s eyes at your baby talk. You shook your head and picked up the kitten with a towel, “I must be going crazy.” For the first time, the kitten started to mewl as you dragged the towel down its body. “I am being as careful as a person can be right now, what’s your deal?”

The kitten wiggled out of the towel and started to rub against anything it could. You sighed and got up from the couch, taking the damp towel with you, “Sure, dry yourself off on my furniture. I  _love_  the smell of wet fabric.” The kitten chased after your heels, it’s meows hiccupping with every jump. “You’re probably hungry aren’t you? Sorry bud, let’s see what I have.” You searched through your kitchen for something the small cat could eat as it waited on your counter. As soon as you opened a can of tuna you found, the kitten started nudging your hands, almost knocking the can out of them. “Hold your horses, little guy.” You put some tuna and water in two bowls and placed it on the counter, the cat too excited to wait for you to bend down and place it on the ground. You went back to your couch and fell on it, the exhaustion of your day finally getting to you. A headache started to form as you tried to figure out what you were going to do with your new house guest. You flickered through Netflix, too tired to really stop and read any of the descriptions. You were about to pick the show you always rewatched when the furball jumped onto your tv stand and swatted at a title. It was a documentary about Thor with him and his hammer proud and center on the poster. The kitten swatted at the tv even more when the picture got bigger. “Hey now, no hitting the god.” The cat stopped swatting at the tv long enough to hiss at you and if you were as crazy as you thought, it had a glare to match. 

You shook your head and shut off the tv, lying down to try and get rid of the headache. You closed your eyes, rubbing at your temple, “I really must be losing it.” As soon as you settled down in your new position, the kitten decided it was the perfect time to jump onto your chest. You opened your eyes to glare at it, only for them to soften as it settled down to go to sleep. “Guess I’m not allowed to move then huh?” The cat opened it’s eyes in another glare as a response. You laughed softly, “Got it. Y’know if you’re staying I gotta figure out a name for you.” You yawned and settled back down, your eyes closing again. “With how you were swatting at Thor, I could just call you Loki.” You were mumbling by the end of your one sided conversation, your exhaustion finally catching up to you. Even half asleep, you were still heard and in response, the kitten’s eyes started to glow. 

* * *

\----

The kitten started to shake as it waited for you to fully fall asleep. When it sensed that you were, it jumped off and ran towards the kitchen, a green light surrounding it. As quietly as possible, the kitten began to shake even more, the light glowing brighter and brighter as the kitten stretched and morphed. Loki groaned low as he shifted back into his body, scoffing at being trapped in such a  _weak_  animal. When he was caught, he had to think quick on his feet which led to his own spell going somewhat wrong. He had been a damn kitten for weeks because no one dared say his name, no doubt a result of his darling  _brother_ and his new boyband. On the brightside, he had learned a lot about Midgardian culture while living in the New York streets. There was no longer any doubt in his mind that Earth needed guiding, sadly there was no way for him to fight that fight. His army was destroyed, his body weak and tired, and there was no doubt his brother was waiting to capture him again.

He sighed angrily, if he returned to Asgard he’d be captured immediately though he knew they had probably found a way to track his magic. They’d be here soon if that were the case. Before he could continue his thinking, he was distracted by you sleepily shuffling into the kitchen. You were still half asleep, rubbing your eyes as you tried to get a glass of water. Try being the main word since the glass fell from your hand, your mind far from awake. Loki smirked as he caught the glass and handed it back to you, surprised that you hadn’t noticed him yet. He would be lying if he said he didn’t find you  _intriguing_. “Thank you.” You mumbled, filling the glass with water and dragging yourself to get to your bed. You stopped at the entrance to the kitchen, your brain finally catching up to you as you looked at the glass in your hand. You turned on the light and glared towards the sink, searching for the mystery figure who saved you from a late night cleanup. The only thing there was the kitten, staring up at you as it sat on it’s paws. You groaned, “It’s official. I’m actually going crazy, thinking the  _cat_  is a person who caught a glass. Jesus, I need sleep.” You walked out of the kitchen, rambling, shutting off the light as you did and went to your room. 

Loki smirked, though it didn’t show on his feline face,  _This was going to be fun._

* * *

\----

A few weeks went by and you were adjusting to your new life with your little furry friend. You had gotten every cat thing the internet said you would need only to learn that he hated it all. Cat food would be swatted away and the litter box hadn’t been touched since you got it. So you ended buying food for two and wondering where or when he went to the bathroom. Besides that, coming home to a pet was the best feeling. He’d pretend to ignore you until you sat down and the rest of the day was spent watching tv while petting the little kitten. You couldn’t bring yourself to name him even though he seemed to cling onto the name Loki. You _really_  couldn’t call him that, so you stuck with pet names and he was sure to glare at you when they got too crazy; like the one day you had called him ‘snookums’ unironically. It was a long day for the both of you after that. He had taken to sleeping in your bed with you, most of the time on you or on the pillow next. When a pounding at the door woke you up, he had decided your stomach was the perfect place to sleep. You stared at each other for a second and when you realized the noise wasn’t going to be ignored, you reluctantly got out of bed. He stretched languidly and followed from a safe distance behind.  “I’m coming, calm down!” You shouted, the mystery person’s excessive knocking starting to get on your nerves. You opened the door and immediately wished that you had changed out of your pajamas or your tone. Standing in front of you was the god of thunder Thor, himself, Tony Stark, and Captain America. 

Captain America smiled sheepishly, “Sorry to bother you, I’m Steve, these are my teammates Thor and Tony. We have some questions for you.”

You nodded, numbly, and moved to the side to allow the superheroes in. You gestured for them to take a seat in your living room, “Would you like anything? A drink? Snack?” 

“No thank you-” 

“Coffee.” Tony glared at Cap-Steve as he said it which led you to believe that the three of them were in a rush to get to your place. Steve glared back, his gaze flickering to you. Tony sighed and looked to you apologetically, “Please.” 

You smiled, “I have to put a pot on for myself anyway, just woke up and everything.” You quickly did as you said you would and waited in the entrance for both the coffee and for the heroes to start talking. 

“Sorry about that.” You shrugged and waited for the questions to begin. The kitten started to mewl and hide behind your feet. You picked it up to try and calm it down, only for it to cry out louder but hide deeper in your arms. 

“It’s fine, I had to wake up sooner or later.” The kitten hissed as Thor moved to stand up, you glared at it pointedly before apologizing to them. “Sorry, I just got him, I guess he doesn’t like a crowd.” 

“How strange. It seems I can’t understand your companion.” Thor walked closer, ignoring the growling coming from the small cat. “What is it’s name?” 

“Loki.” Your eyes widened and you stopped yourself from slapping yourself in the face. It was the first thing that came to your head, especially after the cat’s hatred towards Thor and it’s green eyes. The cat licked your arm as if to try and calm you down but there was no time to appreciate it, the heroes were all looking at you with varying looks of curiosity and disgust. “Okay,  _okay_ , I know that sounds bad but I named him that before this whole ordeal happened. Y’know when Loki was just a story and not someone attacking the city.” Well, it wasn’t a  _complete_  lie. 

Tony waved it off and moved into the kitchen when he heard the coffee machine finishing, “Completely understandable.” 

“Couldn’t you have just named him something else?” Steve was suspicious, the friendly expression on his face turned into something that could break any lesser man. 

You shrugged, “He’s young enough that he was used to it. He won’t respond to anything else.” 

Steve simply hummed. “No need to be cautious Steven! His name has been spoken twice and the cat is still remaining in it’s form.” Thor’s smile was playful and open, you couldn’t help but respond with a smile of your own though it was far smaller. 

Tony came out of the kitchen, sipping at his coffee and handing you your own. “I guessed.” You thanked him and took a sip. Your eyebrows raised, surprised that he had actually gotten it right. He smirked, “They don’t call me a genius for nothing.” He made his way towards the door, Steve and Thor following him. “Speaking of which, Thor, buddy. Maybe we can find a better way to track our little rock of ages?” 

“I am sure you’ll find a suitable way to do so Anthony.” Thor slapped Tony on the back which caused Tony to glare at him for almost spilling his coffee. 

“I’ll bring this back.” He walked out of the door with Thor. “Probably.”

Steve turned around before leaving, “Thank you for your help, we’re sorry for the intrusion.” He left and closed the door as if it was the most normal thing in the world. 

“I just lied to half of the Avengers.” You looked down at the cat in your arms and the coffee in your hand, somewhat in awe. “Tony Stark just stole my favorite mug.” The kitten, now named Loki apparently, simply meowed. You needed to go back to sleep. 

* * *

\----

You woke up with the memory of what had happened still clear as day, “Okay, so it wasn’t a dream.” 

“Some would argue it was a nightmare.” You fell out of your bed after hearing the unknown voice, your blankets falling with you. You heard an annoyed sigh coming from the other side of the bed. “Honestly, there’s no need for dramatics.” 

“Who are you!? What are you doing in my  _house!?”_ You frantically stood up and started looking around for something you could use to defend yourself with. You actually looked at the person across the bed and felt your heart sink and whatever fear you felt, tripled. “Loki.” You whispered. 

He smirked, “Correct.” 

A million thoughts flooded your brain and it was sad to admit that one of the most prominent ones was ‘Where was the kitten?’ For a second, your heart fell at the thought that Loki had done something to it but then you saw his glinting green eyes and you weren’t sure if you were relieved or terrified. Your second thought was ‘ _Please don’t kill me’_ and apparently, you had seen far too many movies because when in the face of danger, you froze, as if he was a trex and wouldn’t be able to see you if you didn’t move. It didn’t work. “I’m not going to hurt you Y/N”

You nodded slowly, even though him saying that was nowhere near comforting. “Right, okay, got it. Not getting hurt, that’s great.” You had to do  _something_. Except the only people who could really help you in this situation were the Avengers and they didn’t exactly leave you a number to call in case Loki showed up. Maybe you could call 911, have a nice conversation and try to convince the operator you’re weren’t a prank caller. Or you could make a break to Stark tower and hope they believe when you say you have to talk to the Avengers? There really was nothing you could do and, from the smirk still on Loki’s face, he knew it. But the longer the silence stayed, his smirk slowly turned into a frown.                    

“You don’t believe me do you?” You opened your mouth to try and comfort him, then stopped when you realized what you were actually doing. Why should you care how he feels? He’s an escaped prisoner that tried to take over the world, his comfort was the last thing you should be worried about. “I have done nothing in the time you have housed me, why would I start now?”

Right, because you hadn’t gotten a pet. Instead, you had gotten a roommate that was  _disguised_  as a cat without knowing it. Even worse, you were hiding a fugitive without knowing it.  _Great_. At least the bathroom question was finally answered. “It’s just- it’s a lot to take in. That’s all.”

“You’re scared.” He stated it obviously but the underlying pity was what got you.

“Well of course I am!” You sat down on the bed in exasperation. “In case you don’t remember, you’re _the_  bad guy. Loki, God of mischief and person who decided Earth was ripe for the taking. I should be running for the hills right now.”

“And yet here you stay.”

“Yea, well, it’s my house.” You sighed and stood up, not bothering to get ready. Going to work didn’t seem like the most important thing all of a sudden. “You want some coffee? If you’re staying, then I need some answers.” He nodded and followed you out the door and it was weird to see your cat in his movements. Or him in his movements. You groaned and rubbed at your temple, it was too early for all these revelations. You went to grab your mug and paused, staring at the empty spot where it would be.  _Right, because Tony Stark stole my mug._  Loki cleared his throat and you found yourself glaring at him, where you had gotten the bravery for that you weren’t sure. He took his hand from behind his back to show your mug in his hand. You took it from him cautiously, “How-?”

“You were fond of this mug, were you not?” The word mug coming from Loki was funnier than it should’ve been but you kept your giggles in. Glaring at a god was one thing but laughing at him was a whole different ballpark you didn’t want to play in. You started the coffee maker and placed your mug onto the counter, scared that it would vanish in a cloud of green. He chuckled and he had no right to have a  _handsome_  laugh. “I assure you, it is the original.”

“Again, how?” You were sure either it’d collect dust in Tony Stark’s cabinets or he’d throw it away. That’s what you’d do if you were that rich at least, no need for dishes if you can just buy new ones when you were done. It was probably a good thing that you  _weren’t_  rich.

“It was quite simple to get it back from Stark. Though if he notices it’s disappearance, he’ll connect it with _my_  sudden appearance and return here.”

You stared at him and he returned the favor, studying each other for different reasons. “So what you’re telling me is not only did you care that this was my favorite mug but you also risked your freedom to get it back for me.”

Instead of a shrug, you received an annoyed glare, “It’s most fun to play with Stark. It was an opportunity more than anything.” You nodded and turned to prepare your coffee, smiling while you did.

“You might as well sit down, the coffee is ready.” After a second, you heard the chair scrape against your kitchen floor. You were going to sit down, drink coffee with the god of mischief, and ask him why he had disguised himself as a cat for so long in your house. A normal Thursday morning when you think about it.

* * *

\----

“Surely you must have suspected something.” He sat across from you, his coffee still untouched in front of him. A waste really. You had tried to sit as far from him as possible but you lived in New York and, though your job paid alright, it wasn’t enough to afford anything big enough to give you a comfortable distance from Loki.

“I don’t know I just thought the cat was peeing in the corner of my closet instead of the litter box! Not that he was actually, well- you.” You couldn’t help but separate the two in your mind. Your cat was your friend and slowly becoming family; you loved that little thing. And Loki was, well, it didn’t seem like he was leaving anytime soon.

He wrinkled his nose and you ignored the thought that told you it was adorable. “I refuse to go near that abhorrent thing.”

“You act like you’re still going to have to.” He didn’t respond, instead just looking at you. He did that a lot it seemed and it was extremely unnerving. To be stared at and studied by his piercing green eyes. He did the same thing while he was a cat and it was because of that that you always left the room to get dressed. You were suddenly very grateful for doing so. “You  _are_  going to leave now right?”

Loki wouldn’t admit it, to himself or you, but the intrigue he first felt had evolved into something he couldn’t identify. It was infuriating not to know what exactly it was.  Yes, you were human, and therefore immensely inferior to him, but there was something about you. Maybe it was how you had accepted him into your home, even without the knowledge that it was truly him, he had seen a side of humans that was only shown when they were alone. To their most trusted companions who couldn’t spill their secrets. You had laughed and cried in his presence, accepted comfort and gave it out. You were the first person in his experience to be kind and caring without expecting something in return,  you talked to him as if he were human. There was no fear in your eyes and, even now, that you know who he is and what he can do, the fear that showed when you had first woken up faded away the more that you conversed. It was mesmerizing. “I would be thankful if you continued to house me.” He tried to hide his grimace with a smile. It didn’t necessarily work.

“Why don’t you go back to Asgard? Make up with big brother, he seems like the forgiving type. Why did you even  _become_  a cat in the first place?” You were starting to panic, if he stayed you could be charged with housing a fugitive. You never thought jail was in your future but now that it was, you were terrified. You couldn’t handle that. Your breathing picked up despite your attempt to calm it down but it all stopped when you felt a hand. You looked to see Loki’s pale hand over yours and even he seemed surprised when you looked at him with shocked eyes. Curiously, he moved to hold your hand, and you didn’t know if your breath stopped because of his actions or his powers.

“You would love Asgard.” He said it almost unconsciously, like it was actually an escaped thought, his voice low and he continued to look at your hands. They weren’t intertwined, he simply held it. “I had caught my brother off guard and in doing so I rushed a spell. Not only was I a weak  _kitten_  but I couldn’t return to myself unless someone said my name.” He smiled mischievously up at you and you wondered if any of his real smiles had the same emotion, if mischief was a constant in him. “It seemed you were the only one who not only dismissed the warning but was willing to take in kittens.”

A mantra of  _He’s the bad guy, he’s the bad guy_  was on loop in your head. But you couldn’t completely listen to it. Thor believed in Loki, for some reason, and you weren’t sure if it was misguided or not but you wanted to give it a shot. Maybe you were just crazy and he was poisoning you through the hand contact that was somehow still happening. That had to be it. You took your hand from his and pointed at him, “You owe me a trip to Asgard.”

He smiled again and the way your heart jumped made you question your decisions again. “Of course. Once I am no longer a priority in their eyes I’ll see what can be done.”

You took his, now cold, coffee and dumped it into the sink along with your empty mug. “I was joking y’know.”

“How could I miss it.” You chuckled at his sarcasm. Well, however long he stayed here, you definitely wouldn’t be bored again.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki’s your new roommate and, surprisingly, he’s actually pretty decent. But every good thing must come to an end; the Avengers are looking for him. And they’re closing in on you and your green eyed cat.

Life with not cat Loki was a lot easier than you thought it would be. So much so that it was a lot more awkward when he _was_ a cat, though you couldn’t deny that it was still cute. It just wasn’t the same and he was _definitely_ no longer allowed to sleep in your bed. Cuddles were only given out if you were extremely tired or sleep deprived, there had to be boundaries now. It was weird to say that you had gotten closer to the prince and with every day that passed by, it became more and more normal to come home to him. He had taken to watching tv (you were tired of his complaining about being bored and had introduced him to Netflix. “If you’re going to be on Earth, then you might as well act human.” He had grumbled but still watched as you taught him about the remote) and the show of the week was Parks and Recreation. You came home from work and plopped down on the couch with him, making sure to keep your distance. “Who’s your favorite?”

“I’m fond of the small, angry girl.” He refused to learn character names, probably to pretend like he wasn’t actually paying attention, but you knew better.

“That’s April, she’s the best.” You settled your head on the arm of the couch, you wouldn’t be surprised if you fell asleep. It had been a long day.

“We are a lot like her and her suitor.” He said it casually. He also refused to talk informally, always saying things like suitor instead of boyfriend. You weren’t sure if that was just how he talked or if he was trying to distance himself from Earth even more.

When you realized what he said, you sat up from your relaxed position. If you were drinking, you would’ve done a spit take. “What?”

“Is that not what humans do? Uselessly compare themselves to fictional characters?” Well, at least he was learning?

“I mean yeah but-” Your phone interrupted you before you could continue the conversation and explain that they usually didn’t compare themselves to a _couple_ unless they were, y’know, a couple. You also couldn’t grasp the fact that Loki just compared himself to, as he described her, ‘the small, angry girl.’ You walked away from Loki and the tv and answered the phone, “Hello?”

“Is this Y/N?”

“Yes, who is this?”

“It’s Steve Rogers, we talked a few weeks ago.” he acted like you could forget the Avengers showing up at your doorstep. Loki paused the tv, moving to stand next to you when he saw your worried expression. “Y/N?”

You shook yourself out of whatever hole you were digging and pretended everything was okay for the moment, “Right, sorry. Of course I remember, how may I help you Captain?” You hoped he mistook the tremor in your voice for excitement.

“Again, Steve is fine, Y/N.” He chuckled. Then his voice became serious, “We’ve been tracking Loki by following his signature left when he uses his magic.”

“Why are you telling me this?” You backed away from Loki as if the distance will make you seem less guilty even though there was no way he could see the two of you through the phone.

“The only locations he has been, according to the tracker, are Stark Tower,” Because he was stupid enough to get you mug back from _Tony Stark_ , “And your house.”

It was time to put your acting skills to the test and again, kind of, lie to an Avenger. “So you’re saying Loki is what? _Watching_ me?!” Again, it wasn’t technically a lie since he was staring at you right then and gesturing whether he should turn into a cat or not. If you weren’t in such a serious conversation you would’ve bursted out laughing because the way Loki decided to mime cat was by pointing at himself and mimicking cat claws. It was both adorable and hilarious and you were close to laughing in Captain America’s face. Metaphorically, at least.

“There’s no need to worry, I assure you.” Even over the phone, his voice sounded comforting and strong. You didn’t understand how. “I just wanted to warn you that that was the case and Stark and Thor may be paying another visit to see why that may be.”

“Today?” You gestured wildly towards Loki, making every hand sign you could think of for him to turn into a cat.

“Yes. Also allow me to apologize in advance, Stark is not as trusting as the rest of us and may interrogate you to see if you’re lying. Don’t take it to heart.” The genius was going to interrogate you to see if you were lying, which you were, about knowing where the god of mischief was. Nothing to worry about at all.

“Of course Cap- Steve. I’ll start the coffee as an olive branch.”

“That’s a good idea. Sorry for bothering you.”

“There was no bother.” he hung up and you were left standing in your living room, Loki at your feet in cat form, a mug that needed to be hidden, and a half planned out plan to how exactly you were going to get through this.

* * *

—-

The knock at your door came about an hour later. You took a deep breath and got up from the couch, glaring at Loki as you did. You received his best cat stare in return and it didn’t do much to calm your nerves. You opened your door with a strained smile, unsure how exactly you were supposed to behave in front of two superheroes. Hiding a supervillain or not it wasn’t something you knew how to do. “Hello again Y/N.” You smiled at Thor and gestured for the two to walk in. Having gotten to know Loki, in some form of the word, you could somewhat understand his disdain for his adopted brother. He was practically perfect; both physically and personality wise. It’d only make sense that sibling rivalry would be a bit more deadly when it came to gods. Just look at Greek mythology. Or maybe you needed to kick Loki out of your house and stop giving excuses for him. 

“Cap explained why we’re here right?” To others, it probably would’ve been considered rude that Tony hadn’t said hi. That instead of saying ‘thank you’ after you gestured them in, he started roaming your house with curiosity in his eyes. But again, it was understandable. He’s here on a mission. You swallow to try and rid yourself from a dry throat. You were probably a suspect to them. 

“He said something about Loki’s magic being at my house?” Tony was in the kitchen now and you found yourself holding your breath when he looked into your sink and cabinets. You had hidden your mug but, still, a part of you was scared it was still out in the open. You let some of your discomfort show to try and play the part you were supposed to, “Am I safe?” 

There was doubt when Tony looked at you again. Not at your performance, in himself, and you felt bad for putting the expression there. Thor put his arm around you and you were soon swallowed by his size. You wondered if _anyone_  didn’t feel small in his presence. “Do not worry Y/N, we will make sure no harm comes to you or your feline friend. Isn’t that right brother Anthony?”

Tony laughs, leaving the kitchen with the cup of coffee you had left specifically for him. He cheers you, “Right brother Thor.” He glances towards the couch, at the furry beast in question, and quirks an eyebrow, “Is your cat watching tv right now?”

You stiffen, just realizing that you had left the tv on so Loki could keep watching Parks and Rec. You hadn’t even thought that it was out of place. You shrug under Thor’s arm, “He gets feisty if I shut it off before the episode is done.” Might as well tell them what little truth you can and it is true, Loki hates it when you turn off the tv before whatever he’s watching is done. He once gave you the silent treatment for two days because you had shut off Jurassic Park. 

Tony laughs again, “Gotta love cats.” You were suddenly thankful that cats were known to be wild cards and Loki hadn’t shape shifted into a parrot or something. You stiffled a laugh, Loki as a parrot was an image that you wouldn’t soon forget. He looked towards you with a sorry expression, “I’m gonna have to ask you some questions.” You nod. The three of you head to sit at your too small table. To be fair, it was never too small until all this craziness happened. It was only ever you and maybe a couple friends. In the past couple months, not one but two gods have sat here, along with a billionaire genius. It really put things into perspective. “Has anything weird happened?” 

In the hour that you waited for them to arrive you had stressed over what questions he could ask and what answers you could possibly give. You had decided that the answer closest to the truth, without revealing Loki, was the best decision. Hopefully, it was the right one. “Actually yes.” You stood up and went to your mug’s hiding spot, also known as the dishwasher, and placed it on the table for the superheroes to see. “This had shown up a while ago but I thought you had just returned it.” You fiddled with the ends of your sleeves, “Thinking back, it was a pretty big red flag to miss.” 

“That explains why he was at the tower.” 

“But why would Loki return a mug?” You were surprised that Thor was the one to ask. They both looked to you for an answer. 

You shrug again, “I-I don’t know. There was nothing wrong with it.” You let panic enter your voice. “At least I don’t think there was.”

“Hey, it’s fine. We don’t mean to worry you. We just want to get to the bottom of this.” Tony places his hand on your arm and all you can do is nod. The god of mischief was rubbing off on you, especially if you were able to pull this off. Thor catches your attention when he perks up, looking at your feet where Loki now is. You hold your breath. 

“I can finally hear your friend.” You weren’t sure if that was good or not. You had thought the plan was to put _no_  focus on him but Loki obviously didn’t get the memo.

Tony lets out a breath you assume is a laugh, “Looks like his show finished.”

Thor smiles down at Loki and you were sure that it’s taking everything in Loki not to hiss. “Could you help us?” Loki meows, actually meows, and you can do nothing but watch the scene in front of you. Tony apparently feels the same as he stares at the two with wide eyes. “Has anything strange happened?” Loki meows again, though it’s very close to a growl. Thor looks to Tony in alarm, “He says there was a man that threatened to intrude.” Another meow, Thor smiles. “He also wants to make sure it is known that he scared him away.” The black cat walks back to you without something like pride in his steps. 

“What-what does this mean?” You look between Thor and Tony frantically, “Why _me_?”

“We’re not sure but we’re going to figure it out.” Tony gets up and Thor follows. “Do you have anywhere you can go? Maybe take a vacation for a bit?”

“I don’t exactly have vacation hours.” Your boss wasn’t the best when it came to things like that. 

“i’ll talk to your job. For now you and the cat need to get away for a bit.” He hands you a card, “That’s my number. When you find a place to stay let me know and I’ll give you updates on what’s going on.” They’re practically out the door when he turns to you again. “Like the big guy said, we’re not gonna let anything happen to you.” If you didn’t know where Loki was, you would’ve been terrified. So all you do is nod. 

Before Thor leaves he smiles down at your cat, “He cares a big deal for you. He’s very grateful for all you’ve done.” And with that he closes the door and once again your left shocked in your doorway but now with Tony Stark’s number in your hand and Thor’s adopted brother at your feet. 

“Right, we need to figure this out.” Loki meows. You take it as agreement. 

* * *

—-

To say you were paranoid was the understatement of the century. You and Loki needed to talk and while talking at a cat while he meowed at everything you said was _great,_ it didn’t give you the answers you needed. So you, somehow, convinced him to travel miles away from your house, shift back to normal, and come back. How you did it, you weren’t exactly sure but he wasn’t exactly happy when he got back to your door. Whatever annoyance he had disappeared when he saw how panicked you were and, if you had the ability to realize it, you would’ve questioned how that was possible. “Breathe, love.” _Love?_  

“What are we going to do?” He sits you down on the couch, crouching down in front of you. It’s obvious he doesn’t know how to comfort you but you appreciate what he’s doing nonetheless. “I have no where to go and sooner or later they’re going to figure out you’re here.” 

“I assure you they won’t blame you for anything.”

“i’m not worried about that!” You stop, realizing what you just said. Surprisingly, it was the truth. The Avengers liked you enough and, even if that wasn’t the case, they definitely hated Loki more than they liked you. If they found out he was with you, they’d find some way to blame it all on him; make you the victim. It was strange to say that you were genuinely worried about what would happen to the god. He seems just as surprised. “What are we going to do?”

“I have an idea.” You nod, trusting him to take care of the situation. It was all his fault, technically. He should have to figure out a solution, not you. Or that’s what you were going to tell yourself to ignore the fact that you were trusting him without a second thought. It couldn’t get worse. You hope. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jul 5, 2018


	3. Chapter 3

You stared at the card in your hand, wondering when exactly your life became what it was. Tony Stark’s number was staring back at you and you were actually about to dial it. A couple months ago you were just a nobody; you lived your everyday life and simply dealt with the idea that heroes existed. Now, you had a supervillain as a roommate and you were about to ask a billionaire if you could stay at his place. It was all a little too surreal and the fact that you weren’t too confident in the plan didn’t help.

However, Loki was adamant about it. “They would never suspect it and I will be able to switch freely.”

“You don’t think there’ll be cameras everywhere?” You were nervous about it and definitely putting off actually calling the superhero. There was too much at risk not to think of everything but Loki apparently didn’t see that.

“It’s quite easy to work around those.” He sat in front of you, awkwardly placing his hand on your knee. He was still learning how to comfort people, it was sweet. “They will only become more protective of you the more they track me. You simply have to keep up the lie until we can find another way.”

You had to admit; it made sense. If they had ever suspected you, the proof that you have nothing to do with Loki would be right under their noses. They’d simply think he was messing with them, taunting them that he was free and they couldn’t catch him. You were just a random civilian with a cat that was caught in the crosshairs. “It’s still really risky.”

He sighed, not annoyed at you but just in general. You had to learn the difference very early on. “I understand that it’ll be stressful for you but I assure you, no harm will come to you if this doesn’t go well.” He had made sure you knew that and, again, it was very sweet. He had said they’d assume you were under his manipulation, which could be an actuality, and they’d treat you as a victim. He didn’t understand that you weren’t worried about yourself, no matter how often you said it.

You took a deep breath and looked back at the card. “What happens if they find you?”

“I get taken back to Asgard and my punishment will be carried out”  He refused to tell you what the punishment would be. You weren’t sure if it was because he didn’t know or he didn’t want you to.

You nodded to yourself and dialed the number, his hand tightening as you waited for the genius to answer. “Hello?” His voice was far away, like he was talking to you from underneath something. You weren’t sure what you were expecting, maybe an assistant or voicemail, but this wasn’t it.

“Mr. Stark?” You said, hesitantly.

There was a crash and cursing before you heard his voice, now closer than it was before. “Y/N? Have you found a place to lay low?”

You bit your lip, still unsure, and looked up at Loki. He nodded, a small smile on his face that made you think he was completely okay if you ratted him out right then and there. “Actually, about that, I really don’t have anywhere to go. I was thinking of just going to a hotel or something?” You shrugged, mouthing to Loki that you didn’t want to ask right away.

He rolled his eyes, mumbling “Humans.” under his breath. You slapped his arm and pointed towards the phone but thankfully Tony didn’t hear him.

“If you really don’t have anywhere to go I was thinking about you coming to stay at the tower.” Your eyebrows raised, you hadn’t expected him to be the one to bring it up. Maybe Loki’s talent at manipulation was rubbing off on you. “It’d be a lot easier to keep you protected while we hunt him down. And if he does visit, we can catch him.”

There had to be some reason they were willing to do all this for you and, now, you were starting to understand why. Whatever they thought the Loki visits were, they suspected enough that they could use you as bait. Maybe, you’d be able to get what they thought out of them. Loki motioned for you to continue, so you did. “I don’t want to be an inconvenience.”

“Nonsense. Someone will come pick you up and your cat. See you tomorrow!” The call ended and you were left staring at the phone in your hand.

“Guess we better start packing.” Loki smiled and you couldn’t help but return it. You ignored the fast pace of your heart, marking it off as the adrenaline from talking to an Avenger, but deep down you knew that wasn’t it. Somewhere along the line of hiding Loki, you had fallen for him. It was strange, to go from fearing someone to, well, the opposite. He would never feel the same, you were sure the only reason he stayed was because he had no one else and even if Thor had said he cared deeply, it only came from a place of gratefulness. You were fine with that. Besides, you had made a plan of your own and, hopefully, it’d work out. But first, you had to earn the Avengers trust.

——

Someone named Happy Hogan had pulled in front of your small house way too early in the morning. Luckily, you hadn’t slept at all so you were ready and waiting when he knocked on the door. You had only packed a suitcase and backpack, a part of you knowing you were being a little too hopeful, but if anything you could always come back and get more clothes. It wasn’t like you were completely leaving your life behind, you were just taking a break. A weird break with no end in sight. Happy glanced to the kitten at your feet, smiling slightly, “Do you have a carrier for him?”

You picked him up, a slight smirk on your face, “He doesn’t really like being locked up.” Happy nodded in understanding, petting cat Loki’s head quickly before taking your bags into the car. Loki looked up at you as he walked away. “What? I’m allowed to make some jokes.” You didn’t know it was possible for cats to roll their eyes until you met him. You closed your door and tried to walk away without looking back but you were never really good at that. You stopped in the walkway and simply looked at your home. It wasn’t much but with the salary you got in a place like New York, you were lucky to have a house that was actually standing. It wasn’t much but it was perfect for you and, though you were supposed to come back in no time, a voice in the back of your head said this was it. Maybe you were just too much of a cynic these days.

“Tony told me that it shouldn’t take long.” You tore your gaze away from the house and to Happy, a sad smile on your face now. “You’ll be back in no time.”

You nodded and slid into the back of the car, thanking him for holding the door. Loki settled in your lap, purring slightly as you pet him though he would never admit it in human form. “You know-” You mumbled somewhat to yourself, reverting to the you that just had a pet cat and nothing else, “I never did get my car back.” Loki meowed softly, a response that you weren’t expecting but it helped calm your nerves. You looked out the window as the city passed you by, the simplicity of your neighborhood turning into intense skyscrapers and busy streets.

——

Before you knew it you had made it to Stark or, you guess, Avengers Tower. You weren’t sure which it was anymore. You also weren’t sure how you had gotten there so fast, the traffic in New York making simple drives into hour long road trips. Then again, this was your first time driving in an _important_ car. You guessed that came with some luxuries. Happy opened your door and you waved him off when he tried to grab your bags. “You’ve done enough already, Happy.  I promise I can carry my bags.”

He looked at you doubtfully as you placed Loki on the pavement to hook your backpack over your shoulder. He was quick to laugh when Loki jumped on your suitcase instead of into your arms. “Guess the little guy wants a more exciting ride.” You laughed with him, eyeing Loki cautiously as Happy helped you maneuver through the crowd in the lobby. You weren’t scared that he’d jump off and disappear into the night _but_ you were a little paranoid that he’d abandon you. It wasn’t smart to completely trust the god of mischief, no matter how badly you wanted to. Happy lead you to a private elevator, explaining to you that this was the only way to get to rooms on the higher floors. “I’m also going to quickly warn you that Tony has an AI named Jarvis, so if you hear someone that’s not there. It’s probably him.” The elevator doors opened before you could ask any questions, which you had many of, but the sight in front of you quickly left you speechless. You had moved past the expensive furniture and immaculate design, heading straight for the wall length windows. You were never a fan of heights but as you stood above New York, the perfect skyline at what felt like eyeline, you suddenly no longer cared. “Yeah, that’s usually how it goes.” You could hear the smile in Happy’s voice. You wondered if he had experienced this the first time he saw it. He muttered that he was going to get Tony and you nodded without thinking, still entranced by the sight before you. You only teared your eyes away to look at Loki, to see if he was just as amazed as you were, only to see him bored and half asleep on your suitcase. Sometimes you forgot that he was a god and that he had probably seen so many beautiful things, that one more was simply bland. It only separated the two of you more in your mind and, silently, you berated yourself for being so easily amused

“It’s breathtaking isn’t it?” You jumped and turned to see Tony Stark behind you. He smirked at your reaction then went back to looking out the window. “Kinda puts everything in perspective.”

“They really do all look like ants.” You watched the people rush along the sidewalks, the cars stopping and going every two seconds, and realized just how important perspective was. You wondered if this is how Loki saw Earth from his perch on Asgard. The desire to rule almost seemed reasonable from so high.

“That’s because you’re only looking down.” You raised an eyebrow towards him and he simply pointed towards the sky.  "If you look up, then there’s an endless realm of possibilities.“ The look of wonderment on his face became tainted with memory for a second and for the first time you saw the consequence of being a superhero. "Both good and bad it seems.”

“I like that perspective a lot more.” You smiled towards Stark, hoping it was comforting in some way. He was kind enough to let you into his home, it was the least you could do. Loki, however, didn’t feel the same, his half asleep state suddenly gone as he began to hiss lowly. Your smile turned apologetic as you tried to calm him down, getting pawed at instead. You glared at the cat, “I’m so sorry he’s not usually like this.”

He shrugged, “It’s a new environment. It’ll take some getting used to for him.” He waved at you to follow him and you, cautiously, took the handle of your suitcase. Whatever had gotten into Loki he needed to get over it quick, especially if he was going to take it out on you with his tiny cat claws. “Let me show you where you’ll be staying.”

“Thank you, again, for this. I could still go find a hotel or something-”

He waved you off quickly. “We started this mess, it’s only fair that we protect you from it.” He lead you to another floor that was, apparently, all your own now.  "Everything you could need should be here but don’t be shy to ask, Jarvis is always happy to help.“ He grimaced slightly, his arms falling from their showman stance, "You shouldn’t run into anyone you don’t want to but the Avengers tend to just-” He searched for the word, “scatter?”

“Does everyone live here?” Your view wasn’t penthouse level but it was just as amazing.

“They come and go but they do have their own floor. This one is just one of the many extras we have.” He clapped his hands and started heading backwards to the elevator. “But for now it’s your very own witness protection. I’ll let you get comfortable.” And just as quickly as he came, he left.

You looked to Loki, who was no longer on your suitcase but sniffing around the new place. He gave you an expression that almost looked like he was lifting an eyebrow. “Yeah, I don’t trust that either.” He had left too soon, trusting you too quickly with nothing but this floor. Either the Avengers really thought nothing of you or they were completely fine with using you as bait. You figured it was the latter. You sat on the couch, attempting to get used to your new surroundings. “That was a nice conversation earlier though.” Loki hissed in response and you rolled your eyes. You’d have to ask what his problem was whenever he changed back. Whether he liked it or not, you had to interact with the Avengers at some point. You were stuck on this floor, with no work or friends to distract you. All you had was your plan and it seemed to be going well enough so far.

—-

He was supposed to wait. You both knew that your first day in the tower would be when they watched you the most so you were supposed to be nothing but boring. Even if that wasn’t part of the plan, Tony’s behavior from earlier was suspicious enough that you were about to tell Loki to wait longer than a couple days. Then cat Loki disappeared and regular Loki had scared the shit out of you as you walked into your bedroom. Jarvis, who you had quickly became acquainted with when he answered your self rambling earlier, was fast to ask what was wrong. You looked to Loki, completely unsure of what you were supposed to say and do. He had the audacity to smirk, “I told you, love, they can’t see me.”

“Sorry Jarvis, I just thought I saw something.” You mumbled, trying not to make it obvious that a supervillain was sitting on your bed like he owned it.

“Would you like me to call Mr. Stark?” It was strange to hear something so robotic have a hint of human feeling to it.

You laughed to yourself, “No, no. There’s no need to bother him just because I’m a little paranoid.” Jarvis didn’t answer and you found yourself alone, but not alone, with Loki. “ _Why_ exactly did you decide to do this?” You paused and refrained from hitting yourself in the face, “And what exactly are they seeing if they can’t see you?” Something told you that you wouldn’t be as welcomed if they took a glance at you talking to someone when no one was there.

“They’re seeing you relax with your handsome cat.” You rolled your eyes and continued to get ready for bed.

“Did you just call yourself handsome?” He shrugged and settled further into the mattress. “I hope you know I plan on kicking you out.”

“Now that would be quite rude.” His smirk softened into a small smile as he watched you and you wished your heart didn’t react in the way it did.

“You didn’t answer my question.” You crossed your arms, waiting.

He sighed, his fun ruined for the moment. “I wasn’t a fan of being voiceless.”

You scoffed, “You sure weren’t voiceless earlier. What was _that_?” His eyes averted in a way you hadn’t seen before and you decided it was your turn to poke fun. “Were you…jealous?”

It was his turn to scoff, “Of Stark? You insult me.”

You pulled back the blanket and settled down. “Of course, I’m sure it’s just a coincidence that my _handsome_ kitty decided to make himself known when me and Tony were getting along.” You were surprised when Loki had laid back down, his head on the pillow next to you. Sure, the two of you had slept together but that was when he was a cat and you couldn’t say no. Then again, as he stared into your eyes with his crystal green ones, you still couldn’t find it in yourself to kick him out.

“You think I’m handsome?” His smirk was back, mischief twinkling in his eyes. You were in one hell of a trap when it came to him.

You turned away from him, shutting off the light as you did, “Stay on your side.” He chuckled in the darkness but said nothing else. For a moment it was just silent, your heart beating a mile a minute, but it wasn’t until he moved a little closer that you were sure he could hear it echo of the walls. He was over the blanket, no part of him touching you, but somehow you could still feel him. How you were supposed to sleep you weren’t sure and what you were supposed to think of this you _definitely_ weren’t sure. But it was nice, whatever it was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nov 14, 2018

**Author's Note:**

> May 7th, 2018


End file.
